Multiple spindle head



Dec- 27, 1949 w. MINEK 2,492,391

MULTIPLE SPINDLE HEAD Filed Jan. 13, 1948 lmmmwmv Patented Dec. 27, .1.949

UNITED ATNT This invention relates to d rill heads and partioularly to multiple spindle drill heads.

Ihe primary object of this invention is to .pro-j Vide a multiple spindle drill head that canbe used with any single spindle drilling machine.

Another Objectis to provide a cinp'at in'ultple spindle drill head Whose drive shaft can be easily and quickly conneoted to or dis-connected f'r'i the chuk or spindle socketof a drill press, 'in the same manner as a, single drill.

A further object is to provide a positive drli, non-adjustable, multiple Spindle drill head that is rugged in construction and ecf'inrr'iicalV to inanufacture.

Figure 2 is a top View nf 'trie ve witn'a portion of the top wall broken away to reveal the ist c'or'npartrnent;`V

Figure 4 is a 'view taken along 'trie line and in the 'diICtiO `f the 'arr'OWs i12-'#4 'f '1";

Figure 5 is 'a View takenalo'r'ig 'the l'inead 'iii the direction of the 'arrows 5-5 of the Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a right end View of t'l'idvice with' a portion of the side Wall broken'awa'yf.

Referring to the Figure 1, there is 'shown multiple drill head made in accbrdace'tvith this invention.

Reference character I0 broadly indiefates sheet metal case having a iwttomV wan 1i, a tii4 wall I4, and side Walls Il. The case is inade i sheet iron and its diinensioh'saresueh that various drills 4l, as described hereinafter, lwill be appropriately spaced.

A case measuring 11/4 inches Wide by' 3% i'rrc'he'efsY long is suci'ently large to hold 'the six drills necessary to drill the Vsix holes of a "sinall hinge, in one operation.

The case is divided longitid'ally by' a partition Wall i3, which, together With the top Wall lll, forms an upper or rst Compartment and, together with 'theV 'bottom wan rz, roms a iwr er second eornp'atrent 'as 'slioi'i iii Figures l ad.

' '4' Claims. (C1. @rif-feta) Thetirneshaft 21) and the igdir 'sriaits and 2s are ang-nen" 1n 4axiai paraiieiis'iri- The -drives'haft has apinarygar 2 l itiiriteii on itin the 'niet ee'fnnatfnent ana the-tirer "shafts 2-3 and ze the seminary gears '2 2 enti 25' respeetiveiymeunted'therebii in the partment and the teritay '2i and' Zl meenteatheredn--inl "the e'martientt AReferente tharaetr fai indicates the spintie shafts Winer-i are journaied in the bttmam partition walls as SHN/ni F'igiis 1,- 355 and 6: The spindle" shafts ai are arranged eiruiar series around 'er the idler shafts '213 anais and in axialparallel-isintherewith;

1n the @evite zshawn there are three spitiie shaftsl3l aroundi'each idler shaft. Each spindle shaft 3l has a lgear 32 mountedth'ereon in the' second compartment and a drill holding socket 30 forrned on its outer end, Whieh extends below thebottom wal1 l2 o f the case I ll.

oitioal twist drills 4l, shown inphantorn in Figure 1, fit into socket hls 3'3n and are held in place by set screws 34.

The primafy'gear 2| engages seeonaary gears'zz and '25 tf' the mier shaft-s 2 3 anti is. The se'ohdari "gears 'areall tliesar're'siz that beth the idler' shafts will rotate at 'trie' same speed. Eacneff thev spinale 'gears az engages trie 'tertiary' gear '21! 'or 21 ofitsrespective idler shalt; ABtjt'h" the tertiary 'gears '2li and '2i are' the' s'ane Siae andan of thespintu-e gears azereof tie Samesite' S0 'thatl all' the pl'idl Shaftsfl will rotate' *at the same speed:

By arranging the gears as 'shown in the draiiy-el ing, all of the spindle Chucks-@Will rotat'esirnul;r tane'ously in the saine dirent'iol as the dr've Shaft 20:

The spindle chucks are arranged iri the'pattrof tri/o triangles with opposed bases; as shown in1 the Figure 3. This aagt Dll'li" O lifi drilling of three 'holes either hal? of a hinge'. Other arrangements-and"spacing of the spindles can be Worked l'itA 'tsuit partola'r n'dits.

The device is attached to any drilling machine by inserting the end of the drive shaft 20 into the chuck 4t of the drilling machine as shown in Figure 1. This is done in the same manner as any ordinary twist drill would be inserted into the chuck. The case I is prevented from rotating by use of any suitable xture or bracket. The drill press is operated in the conventional manner, the multiple drill head being moved in and out of contact with the work just as though it held one drill instead of a plurality of drills. The Work is of course heldin either a jig or a fixture in the conventional manner.

From the size, 11/4 by 3%, inches, of the described device, it can be readily seen that this multiple spindle head lends itself to short runs that are to be repeated periodically, since the spindle head can be easily removed from the drill press and as quickly re-attached when needed. There is no need to laboriously set upa large machine, as has been the case in the past with Universal machines. This multiple spindle head is inexpensive to manufacture and therefore a separate head can be made for each job and kept until the job comes up again. Thus the set-up time required on a re-run is drastically reduced, since the multiple spindle head for a particular job need only be inserted in the drill press chuck, the proper fixture aligned and the job is ready to run. The usual time needed to reset and relocate the drills of a Universal drilling machine is all saved.

By dividing the case I into two compartments by means of the partition wall i3, it has been possible to hold the various shafts rigidly in place Within a small space, thus assuring long life and freedom from Wear for the gears and shafts which rotate in a sealed grease bath.

By varying the diameter of the various gears, different spacing can be arranged for the spindle shafts 3i and in turn diiferent spacing of the drilled holes can be achieved.

It will now be clear that there has been provided a device that accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred forni, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In combination with a drilling machine, a multiple spindle head, comprising a case having top, bottom and side walls and including a partition intermediate the top and bottom walls, the said partition forming, together with the top and side walls, a iirst compartment and, together with the bottom and side walls, a second compartment, a drive shaft journaled in the top, partition, and bottom walls, extending thru the top of the case, and engageable with the chuck of the aforesaid drilling machine, the said drive shaft having a primary gear mounted thereon in the rst compartment, a pair of diametrically opposed idler shafts journaled in the top, partition, and bottom walls in spaced axial parallelism with the drive shaft, each of the said idler shafts having a secondary gear mounted thereon in the first compartment and a tertiary gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, the said secondary gears being engaged with the primary gear, and a plurality of spindle shafts journaled in the partition and bottom Walls, and extending beyond the bottom of the case, the said spindle shafts being grouped in axial parallelism and in circular series around each idler shaft, each of the said spindle shafts having a gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, in engagement with the tertiary gear of its respective idler shaft, whereby all of the spindles are caused to rotate simultaneously in the same direction when the drive shaft is rotated by the aforesaid drilling machine.

2. In combination with a drilling machine, a multiple spindle head comprising a case having top, bottom and side walls, and including a partition intermediate the top and bottom walls, the said partition forming, together with the top and side walls, a first compartment and, together with the bottom and side walls, a second compartment, a drive shaft journaled in the top, partition, and bottom walls, extending thru the top of the case, and engageable With the chuck of the aforesaid drilling machine, the said drive shaft having a primary gear mounted thereon in the rst compartment, a pair of diametrically opposed idler shafts journaled in the top, partition, and bottom Walls in spaced axial parallelism with the drive shaft, each of said idler shafts having a secondary gear mounted thereon in the first compartment and a tertiary gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, the said secondary gears being engaged with the primary gear, and six spindles journaled in the partition and bottom walls in axial parallelism and in circular series of three around each idler shaft, each of the said spindle shafts extending beyond the bottom of the case and having a gear mounted thereon in the second compartment in engagement with the tertiary gear of its respective idler shaft, whereby all of the spindles are caused to rotate simultaneously in the same direction when the drive shaft is rotated by the aforesaid drilling machine.

3. In combination with a drilling machine, a multiple spindle head, comprising a case having top, bottom and side walls, and including a partition intermediate the top and bottom walls, the said partition forming, together with the top and side walls, a first compartment and, together with the bottom and side walls, a second compartment, a drive shaft journaled in the top, partition, and bottom walls, extending thru the top of the case, and engageable with the chuck of the aforesaid drilling machine, the said drive shaft having a primary gear mounted thereon in the rst compartment, a plurality of idler shafts journaled in the top, partition, and bottom walls, in spaced axial parallelism with the drive shaft, each of the said idler shafts having a secondary gear mounted thereon in the first compartment and a tertiary gear mounted threon in the second compatment,

the said secondary gears being engaged with the primary gear, and a plurality of spindle shafts journaled in the partition and bottom walls, and extending beyond the bottom of the case, the said spindle shafts being grouped in axial parallelism and in circular series around each idler shaft, each of the said spindle shafts having a gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, in engagement with the tertiary gear of its respective idler shaft, whereby all of the spindles are caused to rotate simultaneously in the same direction when the drive shaft is rotated by the aforesaid drilling machine.

4. In combination with a drilling machine, a multiple spindle head, comprising a case having top, bottom and side walls, and including a partition intermediate the top and bottom walls, the

said partition forming, together with the top'and side Walls, a first compartment and, together with the bottom and side Walls, a second compartment, a drive'shaft journaled in the top, partition, and bottom Walls,v extending thru the top of the case, and engageable with the chuck of the aforesaid drilling machine, the said drive shaft having a primary gear mounted thereon in the rst compartment, a plurality of idler shafts journaled in a Wall of the case, in spaced axial parallelism with the drive shaft, each of the said idler shafts having a secondary gear mounted thereon in the rst compartment and a tertiary gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, the said secondary gears'being engaged with the primary gear, and a plurality of spindle shafts journaled in a wall of the case and extending beyond the bottom of the case, the said spindle shafts being grouped in axial parallelism and in circular series around each idler shaft, each 'of the said spindle shafts having 6 a gear mounted thereon in the second compartment, in engagement with the tertiary gear of its respective idler shaft, whereby all of the spindles are caused to rotate simultaneously in the same direction when the drive shaft is rotated by the aforesaid drilling machine.

WILLIAM MINEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

